Postcards from the Studio, Week 1

“We began our commission Over and Over (and Over again) with Dan Daw Creative Projects and Stef O’Driscoll this week. Dominic and I had the pleasure to hold the morning on our very first day and wanted to share the thoughts and references we started with:

1. Stef introduced us to ‘Raving’ by McKenzie Wark and ‘Dancing your Way Home’ by Emma Warren

We started by acknowledging Rave as a Black post-industrial freedom practice, as described by McKenzie Wark and just how exciting it is to be exploring dance as a liberatory practice. 

2. Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Marie Brown

We called this in, as one of our North Stars as we begin on the journey to manifest a creation process that doesn’t break us. 

3. 6 Ways of Thinking of Crip Time by Ellen Samuels

I think I bring this text into every process I have the honour to co-curate. I find it a supportive text to honour all ways of working slow and fast, gentle and dynamic, minimal and expansive. We introduced a score to help us check in non-verbally about where we are energy-wise on a given day. I’m not sure how successful the score itself was… more on that in the coming weeks. 

4. Intersectionality & Dunham Technique

We moved gently as we held space to acknowledge where difficult experiences are held in our bodies, as we brought awareness to the lenses we have and to acknowledge how our experiences are being witnessed through others’ lenses (i.e. white supremacy and ableism). Dominic then led an inclusive Dunham technique class, bringing Haitian-inspired / African American dance forms into the process including a trance practice and a soul train.

…..And that was all before lunch on Day One. 

…..We’d like to thank Healing Justice London for introducing us to citation as a Feminist Practice, big up to HJL and all the incredible thinkers, writers, innovators, dancers and activists that our work stands on the shoulders of.” 

Postcards from the Studio
– Raquel & Dominic